Tatum Reteams with Montiel for Street-Fighting film

Channing Tatum and Dito Montiel, the star and director of last year’s acclaimed independent feature A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, have signed to reteam on an action drama for Rogue Pictures. Kevin Misher will produce the as-yet-untitled film through his Misher Films. Rogue co-presidents Andrew Karpen and Andrew Rona made the announcement today.

The untitled new film is a rough-hewn heroic tale about realizing dreams of glory, putting audiences ringside at high-stakes underground street fights. Tatum (who also starred last year in the sleeper hit Step Up) will star as Sean Arthur, a young man who scrapes up a living scalping tickets in NYC. With family tragedy in his past and his father keeping him at a distance, this outsider has little to motivate him. A chance encounter with a veteran street-fighting coach leads to a whole new career for Sean. The ensuing bouts get tough, especially with the criminal element horning in, so Sean gets tougher. He will fight to win, not only the prize money but also the unexpected new relationships that are strengthening him.

Montiel has written the latest draft of the screenplay. Senior vice president of production Adrienne Biddle will oversee the project for Rogue. Shooting will begin on location in NYC in September.

Misher is currently in post-production on Christian Alvart’s Case 39, starring Renée Zellweger and Jodelle Ferland, for release this winter. His earlier producing credits include The Interpreter and The Rundown.

A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints was Montiel’s first feature and was based on his own autobiography. He won the directing award in the dramatic competition at the Sundance Film Festival, where the ensemble cast was voted a Special Jury Prize. The film, in which Shia LaBeouf and Robert Downey Jr. portrayed Mr. Montiel at different stages of his life, also was honored at the Venice International Film Festival with two awards for the writer/director. Montiel and Tatum each received an Independent Spirit Award nomination, while Tatum was additionally nominated for a Gotham Award in the Breakthrough category.

Karpen and Rona said, “We were among the many who were knocked out by Dito’s work on his debut movie, and Channing is a real rising star. It’s great to be working with Kevin on this exciting new project which will rouse and move audiences.”